Safety device for elevators.



0. I. NIGH.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-4.1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co.,w.\snn\'o'rnx, D. c,

OMAR I. NIGH, OF WASHINGTON, "DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application filed November 4, 1913. Serial No. 799,155.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OMAR I. NIGI-I, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to elevators and more particularly to safety devices and has for an objectto provide a safety mechanism reuirin the constant retention of a device separate from the starting mechanism or controller, in operative position for admitting the movement of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety device upon the opposite side of the doorway of an elevator car from that side upon which the starting mechanism is located. I

Furthermore, the object of the invention is to provide a safety device that requires the operator of the elevator to hold the same in a contact position at all times to obtain power for operating the car;

Furthermore, the object of the invention is to provide a safety device to control the power to the starting mechanism located in such a position on the car as to require the operator to be in a position immediately in front of the doorway and to maintain such position with one hand upon the starting mechanism and the other hand upon the safety device, and to hold the same in contact position in order that power may be obtained to move the car.

The arrangement and construction of my improved safety device will prevent the operator from starting the car with one hand and after the car has started close the door of the car or well shaft with the other hand. Thus the occupants of the car or the prospective passengers are prevented from leaving or entering the same while the car is in motion and serious accidents are therefore avoided. With a car equipped with my invention it will not be necessary to equip the car with an auxiliary gate as the operator, is compelled to stand immediately in front of the car doorway with one hand upon the operating mechanism and the other upon the safety device at all times when the car is in motion, and thus passengers are prevented from standing or moving onto or across the threshold of the doorway when the car is in motion, so that the liability of their becoming injured or crushed is avoided. By removing the necessity of a door or gate upon the elevator car considerable time and labor are saved; as where a gate is used considerable time elapses during the closing of the door preparatory to the starting of the elevator. Furthermore, as the car cannot be operated by moving the controller unless the safety device is manipulated at the same time, it is impossible to start the car or change the speed thereof when moving by means of the controller alone. With the present construction should a person on entering the car or an occupant of the car when the same is in motion accidentally strike or move the controlling mechanism the car would not start in the first case, nor change its speed in the second case, so that the liability of a person being caught between the car and the floor leading to the elevator well is avoided, and the possibility of the car striking the top or the bottom of the well with great force by reason of accidentally changing the speed of the same is eliminated. Again, the operator of the elevator is compelled to give his undivided attention to the operation of the car as it is necessary for him to keep one hand upon the safety device and to stand at all times during the movement of the car in a certain position.

Furthermore, my construction insures immediate stoppage of the car should the operator for any reason become disabled or for any reason forced to remove his hand from the safety device, since the power through the controlling mechanism would be immediately cut out, as the safety device is of such construction as to automatically kill the motive power except it be manually held in proper position.

The above and other objects of the invention may be accomplished by the structure hereinafter described in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the car and the position of the operator when the car is in motion, or when it is desired to start the car. Fig. 2 is a plan view of my improved switch mechanism, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a block of any suitable non-conducting material. The block is provided with a cavity or cutout portion, 2, within which cavity the switchmechanism is adapted to be secured, and at the same time it provides a flush under surface for connecting my improved safety device to the frame of the car. A bar, 3, which extends transversely the cutout portion is rigidly held in position by inserting each end of the bar in small recesses in the side surface of the cut-out portion. Terminals, a and 5, are secured to the bar, 3, and extend there through, forming contacts, 6 and 7. A tumbler, 8, hating a stem, 9, formed integrally therewith extends through plate, 3, and upon said stem a plate, 10, is rigidly secured. The plate, 10, seats against the end walls of the cutout portion. A spiral spring, 11, encircles the stem, 9, and has one end seated against the plate, 10, and its opposite end against the cross piece, 3. I secure between the plates, 3 and '10, upon the stem' of the tumbler, a contactplate, 12, which is nor mally held out of contact by the spiral spring, 11. A lever, 13, is pivotallysecured at one end in the cut-out portion and the opposite end contacts with the outer end surface of the tumbler, 8. Extending outside the casing of the switch box just described where i it may be readily grasped by the operator is ing my safety a glass handle, 14, or a handle made of nonconductive material, which is suitably connected to the pivotal shaft of the lever. A small spring, a, is secured to the lever at one opposite end to the side of the cut-out portion; the tension of this spring being sufficient to hold the lever against the end of the tumbler. In arrangdevice in the car, 15, I secure it'upon the opposite side of the doorway the handle,

frame, 16, from that upon which the operating mechanism, 17, is secured, in orderthat the operator, 18, must stand in a position in front of the do'or'with one arm extended to 14, of the safety device and the other hand extended to the operating mechanism at all times when the car starts'an'd while it is in motion. The cable, 19, extends through a pipe, 20, to the safety device where it is connected to one of the terminals and a cable extends from the other terminal,

'to which it is attached, back through the pipe to the operating mechanism of the car.

In the operation and use of my improved safety device, I secure the same upon a car, the doorway from the controlling mechanism and as the contact plate, 12, is normally held out of contact with the contact points, 6 and 7 the operator is unable to obtain power to move his car unless he extends his arm across the doorway of the car and by taking hold of the handle, through the same, holds the contact plate,

12, in contact with the terminal, and with the other hand manipulates the operating mechanism. It will be noted that the abovedescribed apparatus, which discloses but one form of my invention, comprises a safety device located on one side of the doorway of the elevator car and which is in circuit with the controlling mechanism which is positioned at the opposite side of the doorway, the device being normally inactive and so constructed that the instant the operator removes his hand from the handle the safety device is automatically thrown to inactive position and',being without power, the car is stopped, regardless of its position in the well shaft. It is believed that the construction and operation of my invention may befully understood from'the foregoing description, it being noted that various changes may be made in the arrangements and details without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention what I'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an elevator, the combination with a car, of normally inactive power-controlling mechanism for operating said car at oneside of the doorway thereof, anda safety device on the opposite side of said doorway which must be manually operated and manually maintained in a predeterminedposition to render and continue active said power-controlling'mechanism.

2. In an elevator, the combination with a car, of normally inactive power-controlling mechanism for operating said car located at one side of'the doorway'thereof, a safety device on theopposite side of said doorway which must be manually operated and manually maintained in a predetermined position to render andcontinue' active said powercontrolling mechanism, and means to maintain said safety device normally in an inactive'position.

In an elevator, the combination with a car, of a normally inactive circuit-controller for operating said car located at one side of thedoorwaythereofland a cut-out switch on the opposite side of said doorway inseries with said controller adapted to be manually operated and manually maintained in a predetermined position to close and maintain the circuit through said controller.

4. In an elevator, the combinationwith a car, of a normally inactive circuit-controller tion when released. f

5. In an elevator, the combination with a car, of power-controlling mechanism for operating said car at one side of the doorway thereof, and a manually operable safety device on the opposite side of said doorway for normally rendering said car inoperative whereby the operator is compelled to stand in said doorway to manipulate said car.

6. In an elevator, the combination with a car, of power-controlling mechanism for operating said car at one side of the doorway thereof, a manually operable safety device on the opposite side of said doorway for normally rendering said car inoperative whereby the operator is compelled to stand in said doorway to manipulate said car, and means for automatically returning and maintaining said safety device in inactive position when released.

7 In an elevator, the combination with a car, of a circuit-controller for operating said car which is normally dead, a manually operableand manually maintained switch in series with said controller to close and maintain circuit through said controller, and means to throw said switch to and maintain it in open circuit position to kill said controller when said switch is released.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OMAR I. NIGI-I.

Witnesses:

HARRY F. KENNEDY, T. N. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

